


Begin Again

by rimjhim



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Action & Romance, Aged Up NCT Dream, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - Avatar (TV) Fusion, Alternate Universe - Modern with Bending (Avatar), Attempt at Humor, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Deceased Parents, Earthbending & Earthbenders, Firebending & Firebenders, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Metalbending & Metalbenders, Minor Character Death, Minor Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun, Minor Huang Ren Jun/Na Jaemin, Past Character Death, Pro-Bending, Republic City, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Waterbending & Waterbenders, i'm not a fan of the police for obvious reasons but i will make an exception for mark, jaemin is kinda like varrick in this, only with marknorenminhyuck though, renjun is his zhu li <3, switching POVs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28902621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rimjhim/pseuds/rimjhim
Summary: Chenle is angry. After the tragic loss of one of his best friends, he finds himself constantly revisiting the night and lashing out at others. Zaofu, the place where he once considered his forever home, is too suffocating for him. So when the chance to visit the famous Republic City comes, he jumps on the train of opportunity.Jisung is lonely. He's traveled alone his whole life. He's hungry for a sense of kinship with anyone. Being a member of the Triple Threat Triad seems to be the best he can get before it leads to him being arrested.Sungchan has a problem. Winning his first game of pro-bending was what instilled a new sense of security and hope in him after growing up in the streets of Republic City. All of it begins to crumble when his teammates are severely injured in a match. With one week to form a new team, the thin thread he hangs from is getting closer and closer to snapping.( In which three boys in desperate need of something new make friends, come to terms with the past, fight for a better future, and fall in love━ not necessarily in that order. )
Relationships: Jung Sungchan/Park Jisung, Jung Sungchan/Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le, Jung Sungchan/Zhong Chen Le, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 20
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> welcome to my fic ahhhh!!! i've had sungchenji brainrot  
> recently and just cannot get them out of my head <33
> 
> i was also rewatching lok and then boom! the idea was  
> born from my brain.
> 
> the pov will work just like it did in works such as the  
> heroes of olympus series. the roman numeral is simply  
> the chapter number and the name after is who the  
> chapter revolves around!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything starts crashing down for Sungchan with a simple swish of his opponent's arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> extra thanks to [spin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/spinette_spyder/pseuds/spinette_spyder) for betaing this chapter <3 ily
> 
> content warnings for this chapter: injury, mention of blood

  
  


# I

# SUNGCHAN

  
  


Sungchan has grown to enjoy the attention at his matches. 

His first had been the most embarrassing experience of his life. The jerk of the moving platform had almost sent him tumbling into the water below. He practically hid behind his brother in shame. His uniform belt became undone halfway through, causing him to accidentally slip back a zone. 

Now, he ties his blue belt and slips his headgear on with pride. The scratchy voice of the announcer over the speaker and the roars from the eager audience fuels him in a way he's never felt before. 

A staff member pokes their head in their room. “You’re on in a few minutes. We’ll signal you when it’s time.”

Sungchan acknowledges them with a nod. He shuts the locker and joins his teammates who are chatting at the bench.

Jaehyun senses him before he sits down. "Nervous?" he asks. 

"Honestly? A little." Sungchan admits, putting his head onto his brother's shoulder. "We’ve never been the opening game before."

"You'll be fine," reassures Sicheng, their earthbending teammate. He takes Jaehyun's hand. "We'll be fine." 

Jaehyun returns the same look of adoration and Sungchan finds himself gushing internally at how fond they are of each other. They had met purely by a collision where Jaehyun had _literally_ fallen for Sicheng. Coincidentally, they were both in need of members to form a bending team. It was strange to Sungchan when he noticed Sicheng visiting their home in the arena attic so often, but it all made sense when he came back earlier than expected to find them making out on the couch. It was awkward initially to find out that his brother and teammate had begun dating behind his back. He couldn’t sit on the couch for almost a month because of the thought of what they might have done there if he hadn’t walked in. 

But at the same time, Sungchan has never seen his brother look this happy since their parents had passed and the weight of taking care of him fell onto Jaehyun’s shoulders. He loves having Sicheng around and sees him as another member of his family. They are the reason that he believes in soulmates. 

Looking at them, he wonders when he'll meet his. 

The arena goes dark and a hush falls over the audience. Sungchan rises and shuffles forward to the platform. 

He clutches Jaehyun and Sicheng’s hands and raises their arms with a grin almost as bright as the spotlight that moves onto them. 

"INTRODUCING…. THE TURTLE DUCKS!" 

Sungchan giggles at their team name. Sicheng had come up with it when they first began training together. It was a bit corny at first, but it feels like a breath of fresh air for him now. 

The platform settles at the edge of the field and their team steps onto the red side. Sungchan's hands tremble as he steps into an open stance. Last-minute jitters. 

The official commentator begins barking through his mic. "The rookie Turtle Ducks came out of nowhere and have made it farther than anyone of their experience expected this season. But tonight, they face their toughest challenge yet, folks." 

The referee steps to the podium and raises his hands. 

Sungchan looks to take in the waterbender in front of him. Even his uniform seems to be sparkling, making Sungchan's seem dull. 

"They are up against the Sand Sharks' Junmyeon, Chanyeol, and Jongin; one of the oldest teams entered in the competition. A fight of experience against shining youth━ who will take the win? This is a battle for the ages! Or should I say, of the ages?" 

The sound of the starting bell rings loud and clear in Sungchan's ears, and he sends his first blast of water to wipe the smirk off of Junmyeon's face. 

"And they're off! The teams waste no time in trying to knock each other out of zone one." 

Sungchan blocks an incoming disk with an upward stroke of water. He's almost smoked when another earth disk from his side comes in between them. He flashes Sicheng a _thank you_ smile. 

"The Turtle Ducks' star firebender, Jaehyun, is ironically the one taking the most heat first. The Sand Sharks are ganging up on him." 

Sungchan goes on defense to assist his brother. He extinguishes the flames that are blasted to their side. Chanyeol looks exasperated by the fact that Sungchan takes his attacks so easily. 

But then a disk hits his abdomen, sending him flying back. The buzzer sounds. 

"Looks like Sicheng and Sungchan have been knocked back to zone two, leaving Jaehyun the only Turtle Duck in zone one. Will he be able to take them?" 

The attacks from the Sand Sharks are relentless on Jaehyun. There are only so many disks that Sicheng can raise on time to defend them. 

Jaehyun ducks to avoid getting burned by Chanyeol but doesn't anticipate Junmyeon's blow to his head. His arms can only absorb so much of the impact as it makes him lose his balance. He slides his foot back for a wider stance and better balance, but the buzzer sounds out again. He looks down to see that his foot is on the glowing red line. 

"Guess not!" 

The line in the very center glows green, and the Sand Sharks advance onto the zone the Turtle Ducks were in previously. Sungchan and his team brace for impact before the bell rings and the referee blows his whistle. 

"And the Sand Sharks take round one under their belt!" 

The first scoring pillar on their right lights up red. 

"There are two more rounds." Jaehyun shouts to his teammates. "There's still a chance for us."

Sungchan settles back into the starting position again and the bell rings. 

He's knocked back into zone two almost immediately by a devastating blow from Jongin. Jaehyun and Sicheng quickly follow and the Sand Sharks advance.

Sungchan rises quickly and raises a stream of water, ready for anything to come at him. He leaps upward to avoid a disc that was aimed for his feet. He uses this momentary opportunity to direct his water and rage at Jongin, knocking him all the way back to zone three. 

“Rookie Sungchan uses his towering height to his advantage to deliver a strike from the air. He’s a natural!”

The comment fuels Sungchan’s confidence further as he focuses on Chanyeol, who is battling Jaehyun in a one-on-one face-off. With all his attention on his brother, it only takes a blast to his head to knock him completely off balance. A disk from Sicheng sends him flying back all the way into the water. All three of them take on Jumyeon last, overwhelming him back into zone two. 

Junmyeon’s face is livid as he struggles to regain his footing with the blasts heading towards him. It morphs into shock when the bell rings. The second scoring pillar lights up a bright cerulean. 

“The Turtle Ducks snatch the round in the closing seconds. How incredible! Still, this can be anyone’s game as we move into the third and final round.”

Cheers erupt from the stands and Sungchan can’t help but smile. He looks over to Jaehyun and Sicheng, who are still catching their breath but are just as happy. 

Sungchan steps up, now able to look Junmyeon in the eyes. There’s a glint in them accompanied by a smirk that looked awfully cocky considering he had been pummelled the round before. A chill runs down Sungchan’s spine. 

_Something’s off_ , his instincts scream. 

Sungchan has no more additional time to think further about this suspicion as the bell rings. He immediately leaps to the side and away from Junmyeon. A blast of water crashes down where he had just been standing. 

He isn’t sure if it’s his fight or flight instinct taking over, but he moves again. There are alarms going off in his head with one clear message: _Junmeyon is trouble_. 

Sungchan raises his hands and the disk sent from Jongin shatters against his forearm guards. But the force sends him crashing into the bars on the sides. He winces, pain spreading on his side. 

He sees Jaehyun leap upward, trying to replicate what Sungchan did in the round before. His eyes hold a flame hotter than the flames he’s about to unleash. Sungchan silently cheers for him as he gets a clear shot to blast Chanyeol to zone two. 

Sungchan feels like he’s watching the scene in slow motion. Jaehyun’s arms extend to deliver his fire, but it never comes out. Instead, his arms freeze in place. His expression doesn’t move either, which wouldn’t have been a problem if his torso and legs weren’t also completely still. Jaehyun looks like a statue. His eyes look to his left and lock with Sungchan’s. 

He can see absolute terror in them. 

Sungchan lunges forward, but a blast from Junmyeon sends him tumbling back into zone two. At the same time, Jaehyun seems to regain control of his limbs. But it’s too late for him to recover before a blow from Jongin sends him tumbling back completely into the water. 

“And Jaehyun is out! Will the remaining two members of the Turtle Ducks be able to continue on without him or will they meet the same fate as their star firebender?”

There's a tiny voice in Sungchan’s head asking him, _Will this be the end?_

“Sungchan sends Jongin over into the drink. The players are even again now, with only a minute left. Who will prevail?”

Fortunately for him, the sound of the announcer’s voice is louder. 

Sungchan focuses all of his energy on Chanyeol, who is relentless in his attacks. He’s obviously angry about what happened in the last round and is very careful for that not to happen again. Sungchan makes many close calls, unable to truly find an opening. 

“Thirty seconds and no change. Will this be a draw?”

A wave of adrenaline washes over Sungchan as he feels Chanyeol’s fire get weaker. He’s getting tired. 

Sungchan decides to take a chance and aims for his torso. It hits Chanyeol perfectly and sends him tumbling into the drink. He’s about to celebrate his victory when he hears an unfamiliar _BONK_!

“Junmyeon has sent Sicheng over into the water with a head blow that may result in a concussion as a parting gift. He joins Jaehyun on the sideline in a stretcher of his own.”

Stretcher? He’s injured? 

Both of them are. 

There are only fifteen seconds left. Newfound energy bubbles up within Sungchan. He leaps up to zone one to Junmyeon, who hasn’t moved a muscle. His mind is too clouded to think anything of it. All he knows is that he isn’t going to give in this close to the end of the match. 

Sungchan raises his arms to send a blow. When he does, Junmyeon raises his too in a calmer fashion. 

The water sends mist flying everywhere, even reaching into the stands. 

Moments later, Sungchan tries to deliver another blast to end it all. Before the water is able to rise, he loses control of his limbs. 

Sungchan finally realizes why Jaehyun was so horrified earlier. Junmyeon gives him a cool smile, with his hands raised in such a way that it seems like a defensive stance. But Sungchan knows better. 

He’s bloodbending. 

Sungchan truly cannot do anything under Junmyeon’s control. He can’t even look to the referee to see if he can see what Junmyeon is doing. Sungchan tries to fight all he can, but there’s no fruitful outcome. He’s truly helpless. 

Sungchan was only in Junmyeon’s hold for about three seconds, but it feels like an eternity. When he’s released, he tumbles forward. There’s a blast of water that sends his hunched form back into zone two. 

The bell rings. 

The defeat crushes Sungchan. “No,” he says as the referee steps down. Sungchan shuts his eyes so he doesn’t have to watch Junmyeon celebrate.

The commentator barks into the microphone once again. “Looks like the Sand Sharks will be advancing. With two of the Turtle Ducks being rushed to the hospital, it looks like their lucky streak has been broken.”

He opens his eyes seconds later to see the commentator himself offering a hand up. “I’m sorry that it had to end this way, kid. I was rooting for you, really.”

Sungchan takes it. “I’m sure you say that to everyone.”

He’s ruined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the first chapter!! sorry that it's so short too


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sungchan faces new challenges trying to fend for himself after the loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome to chapter two!! this is a lot longer than i expected it to be esp when the beginning fight scene ended up being a whole 3k omg 
> 
> warnings for this chapter: blood and injury

  


  


# II

# SUNGCHAN

  


  


The setting that Sungchan finds himself in is about the same as his pro-bending matches, but there are a few differences. Filled with townspeople and members of the bending triads, the crowd is far rowdier. All of their faces are pressed to the barbed wire that surrounds the arena he’s fighting in. The lights are far harsher on his eyes and the grates below his feet are cut in uneven holes. 

Sungchan can’t avoid the needles that fly toward him. He can only hold his arms in front of his face to protect it from further damage. The rest of his exposed skin has small cuts, with some blood beginning to dribble down from them. His breath hitches and he falters slightly trying to hide how much pain he's in. 

Johnny clicks his tongue, unimpressed. “You’re weak.”

“I’m not weak,” Sungchan replies, but his energy is wearing thin. 

“I'm guessing you haven't seen your eye yet,” Johnny retorts. “You’re so used to clay disks that you’ve forgotten what stone feels like. You think I didn’t see you get crushed by Lucas?” 

Sungchan’s muscles feel heavy. He barely misses the shot of water that Johnny sends his way as a wake-up call. 

Johnny isn’t entirely wrong. He had gotten comfortable with having guards on when fighting. Now he can see dark splotches already forming on his limbs from getting hit left and right. 

“Not to mention Jaehyun,” Johnny continues. “Karma at its finest.” 

Sungchan’s throat runs dry. “What did you say?”

“Bastard got what was coming for him.” 

“He did it to __protect me__.” 

“Well he isn’t here anymore, is he?” Johnny stomps his boot to the ground, sending the water below them upward, knocking Sungchan’s chin like an overpowered uppercut. He's driven up until his head collides with the barbed wire of the cage that they're in. It isn't hard enough to give any kind of brain injury. However, the blood that trickles down the back of his neck is enough indication that damage had still been done. Luckily, he lands on his feet. The crowd watching them gasp.

Johnny shrugs. "I may not be able to beat Jaehyun to pulp for his betrayal, but I can settle for his sorry excuse for a brother." 

"Keep his name out of your mouth!" Sungchan growls, standing up once again. 

He lunges forward to attack his opponent this time. Johnny appears shocked that Sungchan is still able to move. All he can do is jut out his arms to minimize the blow that Sungchan sends in the form of an upset punch, his fist surrounded by water. It sends Johnny into the wall.

"You want a fight?" Sungchan asks, water rising through the grates they're standing on. It surrounds him, forming a water gimbal made up of two different streams of water. Johnny's face pales. 

__"I'll give you one."__

Sungchan pushes his arms outward and ice sprouts from the first stream of the gimbal. Johnny evades all the needles that whistle past him. Frustrated, he uses the remaining water as a whip to strike Johnny's head. He spirals to the ground. 

"You brat."

"What was that?" Sungchan asks. "I can't hear you over the crowd cheering for me!"

"Fucking hell," Johnny's cool composure has absolutely melted by the flames in his eyes. 

One stream of the gimbal remains as Johnny takes the bait and charges for him. A small portion of water is used to encase his fist in water. All it takes is a simple sidestep from Sungchan for Johnny to miss completely.

As Johnny tries to recover from his failure, Sungchan uses it as an opportunity to strike and hopefully finish this fight. He surrounds his fist with water, but he exhales onto it quickly, making it freeze solid for extra pain. Johnny deserves it. 

But at the last moment, he disappears from Sungchan's line of sight. 

He's so sure of his victory that he slows down. It's all he needs to see that Johnny didn't step aside, but had actually ducked. Then he juts out his leg and brings it to the back of Sungchan's knees. When it's fully hooked around and he moves his hips, Sungchan falls. 

Johnny mounts Sungchan and mimics the move that Sungchan was going to use on him. Sungchan's arms are up around his face. They close in over it when Johnny's fist collides with his forearms. He howls in pain when the ice shatters against it. 

Sungchan takes the chance to secure Johnny's arm to his chest and trap his leg. Before Johnny can utilize his other arm for the perfect shot to Sungchan's face, he bucks his hips up and rolls to the right, successfully taking his advantage away from him. 

Johnny's back is on the ground for merely a few seconds before he tries to fight back. He grabs Sungchan's sleeve and pushes his knee on his chest to attempt to create some distance between them. He starts to shift his hips to give him an opening to sweep Sungchan, but he's too slow. Sungchan shoves his knee aside and swings his own leg forward so he's free from Johnny's guard. 

Sungchan punches Johnny square in the face and hears a _CRACK!_ when his water fist collides with his nose. He laughs wildly at Johnny's pain. 

"You're insufferable," Johnny tries to berate him, wiping the blood from his face. It's a horrific sight to see━ his nose is in an ugly zigzag with splotches of purple, blue, and red surrounding it. For Sungchan, it isn't enough. He tries to send a blast of water to Sungchan's face, but it rises as a weak stream before falling back through the grates. 

Sungchan digs his knee into Johnny's chest, pushing all his weight on him that he can. "Say it again. I dare you."

"FINISH HIM!" The crowd chants, desperate to get a more exciting show than what they usually see. Johnny's eyes are pleading for mercy. Sungchan merely tilts his head back as if he's considering the audience's demands. 

He rises to his feet and stares Johnny in the eyes. Gratitude washes over his face as he starts to stand too. 

That's when Sungchan lifts his boot and slams it down onto Johnny's rib cage. 

"That was for Jaehyun," he whispers, finally satisfied when he sees tears coming from the corners of Johnny's eyes. 

━ 

"You can't keep doing this." 

Sungchan loses his focus on his healing and the water falls back into the sink, rushing to the drain. He turns around to face Jungwoo standing at the bathroom door. "What?"

"You barely got out of there in one piece," Jungwoo argues. "How do you expect to do this every night?"

"I know enough healing arts to heal myself," Sungchan huffs. "Fighting gets me the best pay."

"How much are their bills?"

"500,000 yuans each, and that's just for the immediate hospitalization."

Jungwoo gasps. "Each?!"

Sungchan nods solemnly. "Pro-bending has expensive consequences." 

He turns the faucet on again and gathers water again to heal his various injuries. It glows and he applies it to the cuts from the ice needles. The red fades and the wounds mend. 

Sungchan tries to will the water to assist him again, but it rises weakly and half of it drips back into the sink. He then notices his hands are trembling. His vision is only half-clear, with blurry blotches dancing over his eyes. All the water falls into the drain. He grasps the sink for support. 

He catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. There are scars all over his skin, some fainter others. His eye is still bruised due to a fight with an earthbender prior to facing Johnny. 

That scumbag. 

Sungchan hadn’t known him well but knew enough to say that he has no place to talk about loyalty. After all, Johnny had switched his own for the Triple Threats to the Red Monsoons. Jaehyun managing to get him in prison had merely been the catalyst to reveal who he truly was. 

“That’s enough,” Jungwoo chimes in, pulling Sungchan away from the sink. 

“Wait, no-” Sungchan tries to fight back, but a floating feeling in his head causes him to lose consciousness of his surroundings for a few extra moments. Jungwoo subdues him easily by grabbing his wrists and leading him out of the bathroom. 

“What you need,” Jungwoo nags, forcing Sungchan to sit on the couch, “is a cold compress and rest. Oh! And,” He wags a finger at him. “No going to any of these matches until it’s all healed.” 

Sungchan’s mouth hangs open. “You can’t do that!”

“Yes, I can. I’ll put you on house arrest if I have to.”

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“It’s a hyperbole, dumbass!” Jungwoo turns to the table next to the couch. “I already made one too.” He picks up the cold washcloth he had laid out and gestures for Sungchan to lay down. He obeys begrudgingly. 

"You don't have to do this," Sungchan says, suddenly quiet. 

"Yes, I do." Jungwoo presses the cloth lightly on Sungchan's eye. "I promised Jaehyun that I would look after you." 

Sungchan winces at how cold it is on his skin. "I'm an adult though," he whines. 

Jungwoo scoffs. "Barely."

"What about your husband? And your store?"

"Taeil's visiting his family on Air Temple Island for the weekend, and it's Sunday. It's been closed all day." Jungwoo notices Sungchan glance away. "What's on your mind?" 

Sungchan just shrugs. "Where do I start? I've had to take care of myself for the first time in my life and I've done a shitty job at it. I'm back to square one, but I'm not as resilient as I used to be.

"I'm scared." His voice is barely audible.

Jungwoo's hand travels up to Sungchan's cheek. The pad of his thumb wipes a tear that Sungchan didn't know had escaped him.

"Hey," Jungwoo's voice is like a gentle breeze. "You have Taeil and me. You're going to be okay.

"By the way, didn't you say that you were going to report Junmyeon?"

Sungchan nods. "I tried to, but they said I had no proof. The ref didn't say anything so they said there wasn't much I could do about it. Besides, figuring out a new plan so I'm not homeless by the end of the week was higher on my priorities."

A knock comes from the floor below. Jungwoo turns his head to the origin of the noise. "Didn't I lock that?"

Sungchan sits up. "That doesn't stop him."

The trapdoor leading up to the attic swings open. Sungchan stands up quickly and immediately regrets it. Spots dance over his eyes to the point where he loses his vision for a few moments. He sways back and would have fallen if it weren't for Jungwoo's hand supporting him from behind.

Yunho, the person Sungchan fears the most at the moment, ascends up the ladder to face him.

"I told you that I'd have the money by the end of the week!" Sungchan exclaims, ready to fight for his life before he sees another figure emerge from behind Yunho. It's Changmin, the famous pro-bending commentator, who was the one who had helped him up at Sungchan's last match.

Jungwoo's taken aback. "What's happening?"

"I'm not here to talk about your rent payment, kid." Yunho grimaces upon seeing Sungchan's eye. "Yeesh."

Sungchan's even more confused. "What is this about then?"

Changmin steps forward. "Have you checked the news recently?"

Jungwoo shakes his head. He turns to the table and turns the knob of the radio. Sungchan stares at it, intrigued. There's a little static at first, but they soon hear a voice play through the small speaker.

"...but all of it fell apart when Junmyeon lost control at a bar fight."

Sungchan's jaw drops.

"Given this, the Sand Sharks have been taken into police custody," the reporter continues, "and therefore have been eliminated from the pro-bending competition at the arena." 

"Wait, what?" Sungchan gapes at the men in front of him. "How did this even happen?”

“Story is still developing,” Changmin says with a proud smile on his face. "The referee had been bribed to look the other way so they could keep their reputation. It’s so juicy ━” He catches Yunho’s eye. “I mean, messy.”

Yunho nods. “Messy indeed. With a team out of the competition due to foul play, that means that the other team is _techinically_ allowed back.”

Sungchan almost faints again. “You’re giving me another chance?”

Jungwoo seems to be the only one to point out the obvious. “But you don’t have a team.”

Sungchan deflates. “Oh, right.”

“Hold on, now,” Changmin interjects, “that’s why I’m here.”

He focuses on Sungchan. “Listen, rearranging the team schedules is going to be a huge headache for all of us since the advancing team is gone. So, we’ll make you a deal.”

“The next match against the Eel Swans is this Saturday,” Yunho explains. “If you can get two new team members by that time, the Turtle Ducks will be back in the running.”

“And if you win that match,” Changmin adds excitedly, “you advance to the championship!”

Sungchan’s eyes widen to the size of saucers. “You’re kidding.”

“Not at all, kid!” 

Sungchan stumbles back, unable to truly process what the arena owner and the game anchorman is saying to him. His foot hits the leg of the table behind him. His head would have had another collision with the floor if it weren’t for Jungwoo steadying him. His mind is swimming. 

As Jungwoo helps him sit down again, all he can manage in his shock is a small nod. “I’ll do it. I promise.”

Yunho gives no other indication of him and swiftly exits, muttering the thousands of things he has to do tonight under his breath. Changmin follows but not before he shoots a thumbs-up to Sungchan and a grin. 

Once they’re completely gone, Jungwoo clutches Sungchan’s hands. “This is insane.”

“Probably,” Sungchan sputters, “but it’s all I have.”

━ 

The thing about time is that it never works the way that people want it to. It seems to run slower when there’s a closer eye to it and then goes faster when what lies up ahead is dreadful. In Sungchan’s nineteen years alive, he’s never felt the weight of it as much as he does now. 

He trudges to the arena gym after trying to avoid Changmin’s consistent questions of how his search is going. He appreciates the encouraging words from him, but it doesn’t change the fact that there hasn’t been much change from Sunday. It’s Wednesday now, with only four days left. 

Luckily for Sungchan, the gym is empty. He’s spent the morning delivering news of a team in need of members to wherever he can think of. Now he’s in desperate need of clearing his head. The clock may continue to turn, but he isn’t going to spend his waiting by being a sitting turtle duck. 

His training equipment is right where he left it; the locker in the corner next to Jaehyun and Sicheng’s. The sparring uniform is mostly gray with the exception of the blue sleeves beneath the forearm guards and stripe on the helmet. Below is a duffle bag of weighted balls that other teams commonly use to simulate the clay disks used in matches. But Sungchan has no one to throw them to him, so he leaves it alone. 

He stretches quickly before focusing on one of the many punching bags in the gym. He doesn’t realize how tense he really is until he starts swinging. As his muscles tire, his mind is still very much alert. He’s never considered himself to be impatient, but the uncertainty is getting too suffocating to him. 

Sungchan summons water from the tank nearby and swings a spinning roundhouse at the bag. It swings the chained bag violently. He awaits the fateful _SNAP!_ of the chain and the thud of the bag hitting the floor, but it collides with his forearm instead. 

He reels back. Yunho must have put better bolts after he broke off one of the bags. 

Or he’s gotten weaker. 

Sungchan shakes his head at the thought. He can’t be thinking like this, especially when the stakes are this high. Power isn’t everything in pro-bending. Things are different now for him. They aren’t like his days in illegal rings. 

He’s about to go at the bag again when he hears the gym doors slide open. His head whips around to see Changmin standing there. 

“How have you been?” he inquires. 

“You asked me that like,” Sungchan eyes the clock that says 2:05, “20 minutes ago.”

He pants, trying to catch his breath. “I’m still waiting.” 

Changmin’s eye twinkles. “Well, you may not have to wait much longer.”

What?

A stern voice that Sungchan guesses is Yunho chimes in. “Changmin.”

Changmin turns away from the door to where Sungchan can’t see. “What? Delivering exciting news is literally my job.” 

“Have fun, kid. Try to not get too beat up.”

Changmin leaves Sungchan’s sight and a new person is pushed into it. 

It’s a boy his age who appears to be slightly shorter than him. He’s dressed in a very similar way as someone from the Dragon Flats Borough like Sungchan is, but the tattoo of a lion turtle on his inner forearm points to more. The blonde hair would have been convincing if it weren’t for the dark roots peeking out. It’s faded as well, suggesting that it’s been a while since he dyed it.

His eyes are wide and drift around, surveying the room. He’s almost surprised when he notices Sungchan staring at him expectedly. He raises his hand that’s holding a piece of paper━ a flyer that Sungchan made to attempt to get the word out. 

“Hi,” he says, his voice tense, “are you Jung Sungchan?”

“Yes!” Sungchan exclaims, but tones down his excitement when the boy steps back again. “And you are?”

The boy raises his other palm and the air above it ignites into a flame. 

“Park Jisung. I’m a firebender.”

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/navyquills) [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.qa/glitterlele)


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